Metal electrical contacts are an essential component in a wide range of devices, from switches to slip rings to relays. Ideally, such components would be electrically conductive while maintaining performance features (e.g., minimal wear and aging characteristics). The tribological behavior of materials, and specifically metals, has contributed to the present understanding of atomic scale mechanisms of deformation and macroscale behavior (e.g., friction and wear behavior). Yet, controlling atomic-scale characteristics and understanding their effect on macro-scale function still remain a challenge. There is a need for new routes of achieving stable metals with improved performance (e.g., wear and thermal aging resistance, enhanced efficiency, and increased reliability) beneficial for electrical contact technology.